If you’ve ever had any training in ergonomics, you probably know that one advantage of having an ergonomically-designed workspace is employee retention. An ergonomic workspace designed to promote wellness can help employees feel valued by management, increase their sense of worth and improve productivity. With HON, you can create healthier workspaces without sacrificing design. Take a look at the environment ideas below to see how you can create an office that is both functional and fashionable:

1. Keep Ergonomics in Mind While Maximizing the Office Footprint

Commercial real estate square footage is valuable, but just because you’re trying to save space doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice ergonomics or looks—check out this great semi-private office setup that uses Voi® modular desks and the Ceres® task chair:

Without wasting any office footprint, this configuration empowers two individuals to choose between a sitting or standing height work position throughout the day. The Ceres task chair has been designed to reduce pressure on the backs of the legs and evenly distribute weight for proper support.

2. Make the Workspace Employee-Friendly

Sometimes leaving your bed in the morning is hard, and having to go into an office that isn’t visually inviting doesn’t make that task any easier. Help alleviate some of that difficulty by using elements like HON’s recently expanded active storage line – Contain®.

As offices continue to shift away from archival storage there’s a greater need for active storage that employees can use for more personal items. Contain is a perfect fit for those needs. Pair it with Voi, the Ceres task chair and some Flock® modular lounge seating and you’ve got a work area that has enough privacy to allow work to be completed, but is also a warm and inviting space where employees will want to spend their time.

3. Create an Office that Adapts to New Work Styles

Long gone are the days of individuals working heads-down in a cubicle for 8 hours—with the rise of the millennial generation, the way that people get work done is changing just as quickly as the age bracket of employees. There is an increased focus on collaboration in today’s office design that can be addressed by using products that cater to impromptu meetings, are technologically powered, and also provide a place to get away from your desk for a change of pace and to refresh your mind. Accommodate™ and Arrange™, HON’s newest seating and table lines, support an active and collaborative work style.

While providing a coordinated design aesthetic that could be utilized in any part of an office, these complementary product lines are versatile in their functionality as well. Use them in a café space that could also become an impromptu conference room, a break room where employees can have a midday snack and charge their phones, or pair with Flock for more of a booth-style solution.

The number of ways to style a workspace are endless, but one thing is certain: there’s no reason why an office can’t be both efficient and enjoyable.

What are your favorite new trends in office furniture and workplace design?

A couple months ago I read an article about the impact March Madness has on a company’s workforce. It is estimated that, during the month of March, employers in America lose up to $4B in productivity as a result of employees watching live games and tracking their playoff brackets.

But the truth is, distractions like these exist every day, and not just because of March Madness. As office furniture continues to trend towards more light-scale and open plan furniture, it’s important that we don’t forget the importance of heads-down, focused work. The HON Company provides many solutions that decrease the risk of disruptions, especially within an open plan office. Here are a few examples of our favorites:

Voi® Privacy ScreensVoi privacy screens provide a division of workspace between users, while also offering an opportunity to add a pop of color.

Panel Systems with Frameless GlassAdding frameless glass on top of panels allows light to shine through while breaking up the visibility between users. You can tailor this premium look to your own preference by choosing between clear or frosted glass.

Shared Overhead Storage between UsersIn addition to distractions being a bother for employees in an open floorplan, these layouts typically have less storage. Using shared overheads between users is a great way to address both of these concerns.

What are some office design tips you use to minimize distractions in the open office space?

Gone are the days when office design was limited to only a few fabric or laminate color options. Today, office design trends are incorporating two-tone laminate combinations and mixed materials to help add a modern and fresh look to the workplace. For example, one laminate color can be used on a worksurface while another laminate color is used on the storage, or one laminate color can be used on the casing of your storage while a different color adds dimension on the drawer fronts. Integrating frosted glass, metal and other mixed materials into overhead storage and support legs of office furniture is another way to update your space.

HON offers 8 woodgrain laminates, including the recently introduced Mocha, Pinnacle, and Cognac. Below are a few ways you can integrate these laminate colors and mixed materials into your workspace for a more modern aesthetic.

MochaMocha provides a rich, sophisticated color that can provide a great contrast to a white laminate on a worksurface or storage. Try adding frosted glass to the wall storage for a fun twist on the classic private office.

PinnaclePinnacle is a modern laminate color that also pairs well with lighter worksurfaces and metal materials, allowing metal surfaces to “pop.

CognacCognac offers a refreshed look on the traditional cherry color palette that can help liven up a workspace, especially when paired with a lighter worksurface color option.

How do you integrate two-tone laminates and mixed materials into your workplace?

As a leading designer and manufacturer of office furniture, The HON Company offers a diverse product portfolio to meet the needs of our customers. Meet Manage®, our basyx by HON® desk series that does just that. Let’s explore a few reasons why Manage is a must have for your workspace.

Modern Look and Application

Creating a solution that keeps up with the evolution of today’s office is something we had in mind with the creation of Manage. This series offers a clean and contemporary look that conforms to the open-concept workplace and fosters collaboration. As office spaces continue to evolve, users will be able to enjoy the same functionality with a smaller footprint and more opportunities to interact with those around them.

Versatility

As office design trends change, the need increases for furniture that can work in a variety of spaces. Manage offers the ability to maintain a consistent aesthetic throughout a variety of work environments, while allowing employees to create the style that works best for them. It fits in open plan, semi-private and private office environments. The image below demonstrates how Manage can serve many different types of spaces while creating a consistent look.

Practicality and Convenience

Inspired by the needs of small businesses, Manage is an affordable collection that’s easy to reconfigure as business needs change. With a condensed number of ready-to-assemble components, it’s simple to install. In the image above you can see how the worksurface extends into the storage and the open design allows for storage below working level, thus optimizing space and supporting a smaller footprint. For this reason, Manage is an especially appealing solution for organizations with limited real estate who want to maximize their investment.

With an ideal combination of style, versatility and affordability, Manage is ready to handle today’s fast-paced business demands. How has Manage been successful for you?

Welcome Solve, our newest addition to the HON winning lineup of seating. Here are 3 reasons why Solve is a single solution for everywhere and everybody!

Day Long Comfort

People are becoming more and more mobile in today’s evolving office, moving from individual to collaborative work at a moment’s notice. This new workplace trend requires a high performance seating solution that can intuitively adapt to each user’s body type and movement throughout a space. Solve was uniquely engineered with a responsive design, including a synchronized seat and back that move in harmony with the user to provide continuous and customized comfort. With this high level of ergonomic support, consider the search for a universal task seating solution complete.

Ideas Come in Many Colors

The beauty of Solve is reflected in the design statement it makes for any organization. Choose between three uniqueback materials, including:

Ilira®-stretch Mesh Back – a great choice for those looking for a softer, more relaxed feel

ReActiv™ Back (coming soon!) – streamlined, geometric back for a responsive, firm fit

Upholstered ReActiv™ Back (coming soon!) – comes in a variety of colors to complement any workplace aesthetic

With three different back materials, three ergonomic controls, optional adjustable lumbar support, and height- and width-adjustable arms, Solve answers the need for a higher level of personalization.

Solve™ featuring the ReActiv™ back – COMING SOON!

Intelligent Design

The Solve chair is smartly appointed to accommodate today’s most demanding environments. Solve achieves optimal balance, proper alignment and lumbar support to provide continuous comfort. Backed by the HON Full Lifetime Warranty, Solve answers the need for a seating solution that is more reliable, adaptable and comfortable.

This single family of chairs offers the flexibility to support an entire space, and the durability to last for years to come.

Wherever people migrate within a space, Flock is designed to support collaboration and bring people and ideas together. Beyond the traditional workspaces and the beautiful dual fabric options, not to mention comfort, here are 6 more reasons to “fall” for Flock this month:

Co-working Spaces | Because “working alone stinks”

NextSpace, a co-working company offering shared office spaces to young entrepreneurs, leveraged the versatility and mobility of Flock to pave the way for the next generation of workspaces. To learn more about the concept of co-working and to read the full NextSpace case study, click here.

From Santa Cruz to Berkeley, Flock solutions have been supporting NextSpace co-working locations in a variety of applications.

Lobby and Welcome Areas | One chance to make a first impression

Flock Collaborative Solutions makes the most of open spaces with a collection of comfortable lounge and guest seating, easier than ever to customize with a wide variety of colors and patterns to match any aesthetic.

Installation by Union Office Interiors and Dingo Capital Advisors in the reception of the Ballard Center in Augusta, Maine.

Office Nooks | Big Thinking for Small Spaces

Transform seemingly unusable areas in your office into comfortable and inviting spaces. When designed correctly, these are great change-of-pace spaces that invite interaction and provide a well deserved break from heads down concentration.

New touchdown spaces are always popping up at HON Headquarters in Muscatine, IA.

Learning Spaces | Collaborating comfortably and socializing in style

Whether you’re using Flock mini ottomans in a middle school library, or Flock seating and tables in a university commons, Flock’s ability to help people connect virtually anywhere makes it a great solution for all areas of the Education market.

Donating furniture for a media interview space is an important, and often overlooked, advertising opportunity while planning tradeshows and other events. Not only does it give you additional product signage and talking points when interacting with the media, but it also helps spread awareness of your brand to more than just the event attendees.

HON partnered with Tag Communications to create this inviting interview space at the 2015 Iowa Association of Business and Industry Conference.

Personal Living Spaces | Comfortable and customizable

Flock’s focused family of products is designed to work together to turn any space into a social, collaborative area – even your home sports center! With unlimited fabric combinations and modular elements that fit together seamlessly, Flock is a great fit for the home, too.

The winner of FSI Office’s Ultimate Fan Cave content won this basement makeover.

Even though we may get the urge to decorate our workspace just like we do our home, a line must be drawn in the workplace in order to maintain a professional demeanor. Whether you have your own private office or a small workstation, the appearance of it speaks volumes of you as a business professional. Adding your own personal touch can make you feel more at home, but it’s important to not over-do it. Here are some tips:

Keep it neat and clean. This may seem like a no-brainer, but you’d be surprised how many people brush this off. Wiping up the dust and keeping everything in order can make you seem more reliable to your co-workers, and help you feel and appear more organized.

Keep personal items personal. Clothing, hygiene products, and other personal items should be tucked away if they’re not work-related. For example, a spare drawer in a HON pedestal works great when I want to store my snacks, shoes, or purse.

Add a personal but professional touch. Moderation is key. Adding a few framed pictures of you and your family on vacation last year and other tasteful décor is a great way of displaying your personality and balanced life. Too much of this can make your space seem cluttered and give the impression that you’re not concentrating enough on work.

Represent your company with class. Hang up that award you earned for being “Employee of the Year” with pride or anything else that your place of employment has given you. However, it’s important that your workspace represents a humble personality by not having too many of these items around to make it seem like you’re bragging.